Ford 400 FMX Block - D1AE-6015-A2C - All original

Crank1

crank2

Heads, etc.

Rotating assembly 1

Rotating assembly 2

Rotating assembly 3

Rotating assembly 4

Block casting

Tim Meyer visits this forum. He built the 400 in my Pantera. There is no substitute for cubic inches. He could make this a great engine for someon's Pantera. He stroked mine to 434. Tons of torque. Very strong car!

Aluminum heads helps to keep the weight down. Cubic inches gives you power and torque without having to rev the engine which means ... durability.

How about a picture of the bell housing mating area to prove its an FMX block?

Tzar & George -

What’s the thrill of a real FMX block?

Other than 400 Ci?

Rocky

Bolts up to multiple bell housings and dual motors mounts.

I’ll get the block off the stand, back on the picker and get the pictures.

The 400 can use cleveland heads. It's like a 400ci cleveland.

Does that block have the large journals?

The rear of the FMX block has a dual bell housing pattern, and is drilled & tapped for small block Ford bell housings, whereas the standard 400 block has only one pattern which is designed for big block Ford bell housings. That's why its called the FMX block, it was cast to enable the use of FMX automatic transmissions with the small block bell housing (see picture at bottom).

There is another 351M/400 block designed for trucks, D7TE casting code, it is a "heavy duty" block, reinforced bulkheads and perhaps extra iron in other key places to add strength. It came about because the 351M and 400 replaced the 360 & 390 FE truck engines beginning 1977. A year later the passenger car line got a heavy duty block as well, casting code D8AE.

All 351M/400 engines have the same 3" main bearing journals, same size as a 351W (351 Cleveland is 2.75").

The FMX are becoming quite desired due to the rareness of the block. I preferred the standard block since a damaged block would be easy to replace. The 400 core was $50. I had to make my own engine mounts and located a bell housing which is not common. The FMX makes all this easy but if the block ever gets damaged your up a creak.

Doesn't mean it's not a great way to go. Have Tim Meyer stroke it to 434 cubic inches and go for TQ instead of RPM. It's strong off the line without reving and by keeping the revs down the engine is bullet proof.

We set mine up with a mild cam concentrating on TQ. We did 500hp with a limited 5500 rpm. 534ftlbs of TQ . . . but it made 434 foot lbs of TQ at 2000 rpm. I wouldn't call it a race engine but I would call it a fun engine.

Intake will be spread due to the extra inch of deck height so a good intake will be a challenge. Mine was originally ran with 1" spacers. I bought a Weber setup with a Hall intake. I ended up cutting the center out and widening the manifold. Worked well:





Quicktime makes a bellhousing for the 400 to ZF but it is inverted for the GT40. I am unsure if there is a current bellhousing for the Pantera (Zf) orientation).

The ring on the quicktime could be cut off and re-welded 180° but would have to be done with precision. You would need to make sure you dial in your bell housing but that should be done anyway.

In spite of 400 FMX block rareness, be sure to check any casting very carefully that you find in the lifter chamber, for a hairline rust-crack lengthwise into the water jacket. This was supposedly a common failure mode for early 400 thinwall castings and is (I think) utterly unrepairable. Dan Jones in Missouri has one- used to be a photo of it on his web site.

On the plus side, there used to be what are called 'main-bearing adapters' that are 3"OD and 2.75"ID, so the better Cleveland-main-size stroker cranks can be used. It wouldn't be difficult for a good engine shop to make a set up from billet steel, either. Back in the last century, people used to install 3" main bearings, then line-bore the big bearings to accept the smaller bearings inside. But billet adapters would theoretically be better for support if you can locate a set. I haven't seen any for some time, but then I don't specifically look for them, either.

All of the 351M/400 blocks were cast in one of three foundries, either the Cleveland Foundry, the Dearborn Iron Foundry (D1AE casting code only), or the Michigan Casting Center (the earliest blocks cast in the Michigan Casting Center had D3AE casting codes). Those cast in the Michigan Casting Center prior to "late" 1977 are the ones known to have a problem with cracking in the water jacket in the tappet valley just above the tappet bores. The block being sold here has a D1AE casting code, it was cast in either the Cleveland Foundry or the Dearborn Iron Foundry, and is not a suspect block.

Why not just go to a 429? Better yet a 460 with aluminum SCJ heads? Both are 10.3" deck height blocks.

Plenty of torque with either. Performance parts available also.

The 400 is the same dimension front to back.

The 460 is about 4-1/2" longer which meant moving the ZF backwards. That pretty much ruled out the 460 for me.

quote:

Originally posted by comp2:
The 400 is the same dimension front to back.

The 460 is about 4-1/2" longer which meant moving the ZF backwards. That pretty much ruled out the 460 for me.

You're such a 'freakin' stickler for details!

It wasn't that I din't think about it. I love the 460.

quote:

Originally posted by comp2:
It wasn't that I din't think about it. I love the 460.

Well, according to the book, "The Survivors", Mike Cook had a Boss 429 in the "salt flats car".

Two things on that, first, when I asked him about it he said "no way...never", then I said "I got a picture of you leaning on the fender at Bonneville". He said, "ain't me".

"Funny, it looks just like you?"

Now considering the picture of the engine with the Hillibrand FI on it has the wrong valve covers on it, I can't tell for sure what engine it is.

Frankly it looks like a Cleveland with Moroso covers on it, BUT that isn't what the caption says so...it's kinda' sketchy at best but frankly the idea is really intriguing?

I'd even do away with my Webers and go with the dual 4's on it?

I don't know if I dreamed it but at one time I woke from a dead sleep and started searching for B9's?

Did I look under the bed and in the shed in the backyard? Hum? Maybe?

I guess there is such a thing as pre-pre-dimensia? It's gotta' start somewhere right?

Nah. Must have been a dream?

I believe I may have wasted everyone's time here... finally pulled the remaining components to expose the mating area for the bell housing. Evidently, I should have not believed the casting to be the end all be all answer to what the block actually is... Attached is the picture - you'll see it does not match the picture George P posted previously (the picture he posted is actually from the site where I pulled my information regarding the casting for this block). I just wanted it to go to an owner who could really use it for its intended purpose since it was completely un-molested. I apologize for getting anyone's hopes up! Doesn't mean it's a bad block (still the taller deck 10.296, etc.) but certainly not as desirable for you folks!

I hate to say it but i paid $50 for a running 400.

I learned a lot... No problem for me!

Thanks

Thats actually good news if you intend to use it yourself.